Tensioning device



May 26, 1959 `w.|.=..s|Mo|\|s,.1R., ETAL 2,888,216

TENSIONING DEVICE 4 Shees-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 50, 1956 wi. S11 4www m@ 5M .la Dfw Ma. MM ma A W5 #bam ATTORNEYS May 26, 1959 w. B. slMoNs, JR., ET AL 2,888,216

' TENSIONING DEVICE j Filed Jan. 30, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 3 la. /7 3 le) r n,- Mil? \\j0 IMMMH WIL L /AM /M o/vs dla., and

56 /s BY' w+ VQXQL ATTORNEY 5 May 26, 1959 w. B. slMoNs, JR., ETAL 2,888,216 l TENSIONING DEVICE @Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 30', 1956 alLS/MoA/.s Je EARL M- SEAGeAl/g, Je.;

INVENTORS.

ATTORNEYS May 26, 1959 Filed Jan. 30, 1956 G L". E m

W.B. SIMONS, JR.,' ETAL 5,4m M SEAceAl/s, de,

lNvENToRs BY @V+-M ATTORNEYS to the tensioning devices.

United StatCS Patent TENSIONING DEVICE William B. Simons, Jr., and Earl M. Seagrave, Jr., Charlotte, N.C., assignors to Tube Masters, Inc., Charlotte, NJC., a corporation of South Carolina Application January 30, 1956, Serial No. 562,118

17 Claims. (Cl. 242-45) This invention relates to tensioning devices and more particularly to a tensioning device for tensioning an indefinite length strand of material such as a moving textile yarn wherein it is desired to maintain a predetermined tension on the yarn at all times.

It is an object of the invention to provide a tensioning device wherein the device maintains a predetermined tension on the traveling strand at all times by automatically compensating for any increase or decrease in strand tension by automatically varying the frictional drag on the strand passing through the device.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a tension device having a pair of tension plates between which the traveling strand passes and which plates place the traveling strand under a predetermined tension when thestrand is running at optimum conditions and means controlled by the moving strand are provided for varying the tension exerted on the strand by the tension plates to compensate for any variance in the tension of the strand as the same leaves the device. v

It is another object of the invention to provide a tension device having an actuating lever adapted to be pivoted by the traveling strand material if the tension in the strand leaving the device becomes too great and a thrust lever connected to the actuating lever to counter-balance the movement of the actuating lever to return the same to its normal position upon the tension in the strand leaving the device being restored to the desired amount.

It is also a further object of the invention to provide a strand tensioning device whereby a plurality of the same may be connected in series to a fluid line to permit the tension exerted on the traveling strands to be varied by merely varying the pressure in the main line connected This feature is particularly important where it is desired to change over the size or diameter of the strand running through the device which necessitates a change in the tension. Also, the variance of twist in yarns will sometimes necessitate the changing of the tension.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with fthe accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a traveling strand of material passing through the tensioning device;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the tensioning device;

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the tensioning device;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 5-5 in Figure 4, and clearly showing the actuating arm of the tensioning device;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Figure 4 and clearly showing the thrust piston for maintaining the actuating arm in a balanced running position;

Figure 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Figure 4;

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Figure 4 and showing the throttling valve which conf; trols the movement of the lower tensioning plate with ref spect to the upper tensioning passing therebetween;

Figure 9 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 9 9 of Figure 2 and showing the position of the throtplate to tension the yarn tling valve, thrust piston and actuator arm with the,`

strand running at optimum conditions;

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9 with the parts rearranged to compensate for the yarn tension becoming too great between the tension device and take-up means.

Figure 11 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line- 11-11 of Figure 2 and showing the manner in which the actuating arm is connected to the thrust arm;

Figure 12 is a perspective view of the tensioning device;

packages as in a creel and showing the invention applied thereto.

Referring more specifically to the drawings and partic- '1 ularly Figure 1, reference numeral 10 indicates a let-oi roll from which an indenite length of strand material 11` is being unwound which passes through a rear or inlet stationary guide 13 of a tension device broadly indicated by reference numeral 12 (Figure 12) and between a pair of friction or tension plates 14 and through a pivotable front or outlet strand guide 15 after which the strand material is wound on a take-up roll 16. The tension device 12 must be positioned at an angular relation to the take-up roll 16 to permit the strand material 11 to move the guide 15 in the direction of the take-up roll 16 for relieving excessive tension on the strand material.

The tension device 12 as shown in Figure 2 has a substantially U-shaped casing broadly indicated at 17 which casing comprises an upright front member 20 and an upright rear member 21, which are connected together by`a bottom plate 19. The stationary strand material t 25 and a lower pivotally or hingedly mounted plate 26, both of which plates are mounted on top of the body. portion 24 by an L-shaped tension plate anchor pin 27 which has one end positioned in a vertical bore 28 (Figure'7) provided in the body portion 24 and the same secured therein -by a screw or clamping member 29. The upper tension plate 25 is provided with upwardly and outwardly turned or ared front and rear ends 30 and 31 and the bottom tension plate 26 is provided with outwardly and downwardly flared front and rear ends 32 and 33 to facilitate the threading of the strand material 11 in the device and to eliminate any sharp edges on the tensioning plates in the path of travel of the strand material between the plates.

To maintain the upper tension plateZS stationary, the front end 30 of the tension plate 25 is provided with a depending vertical ange 34 the lower end of which rests` against the upper surface of the body portion 24 to prevent the plate from moving downwardly relative to the @body portion 24. A depending flange member 35 extends from one side of the plate 25 and engages one side of the body portion 24 to prevent the tension plate 25 from moving upwardly. The ange member 34 also serves as a guide for the strand material 11 passing between the f tension plates to maintain the same in substantially thez medial portion of the tension plates during its passage` therebetween.

For actuating the lower tension plate 26 or to move-- the same upwardly/'towards the stationary plate 25, fluid .Patented May 26, 1959L Figure 13 is a diagrammatic view of a plurality of yarn i assente actuated means-are employed forengaging the bottom surface-or the underside of the lower tension plate 26. Reference numeral 36 indicates a uid line leading from a suitable outside source of compressed uid (preferably air) into the body portion 24 by the line being connected to a transverse passageway 37 provided in a side wall of the' body portion 24. Thevpassageway 37 is communica tively connected to a longitudinally extending passageway 40 from which the'fluid ows through an aperture 4l provided in a bushing 42 whichsurrounds a throttling valve 43. Fluid upon entering the confines of the bushing 42 will be directed upwardly against a throttling piston 44 in tlieform ofa steel ball which piston 44 engages the undersurfaceof the lower tension plate 26 to move the same upwardly to maintain the strand material traveling between the tension plates under thev desired tension.

lt will be observed in Figures 7, 9 and 10 that the valve 43 is a pin sleeve type of valve having half of the upper portion cut away as at 45 to permit the valve by pivotal movement to regulate the amount of air coming through theaperture 41 in the bushing 42 from the passageway 4U. Theprovision of the bushing 42 surrounding the valve 43 permits the valve to be operated with a minimum of friction and also provides a seat or rest for the piston 44 when the same is in its lowerrnost position. It will be observed in Figure 7 that in the absence of compressed uid forcing the piston 44 in the position shown therein the same would normally rest on top of the lbushing 4?. and during actuation the piston 44 is guided in a bushing or cylinder 48 having an internal diameter of substantially the same as the diameter of the piston 44.

A lateral passageway 46 is communicativeiy connected to` the passageway 4b and is defined by a bushing 47 in which is positionedl a thrust piston 59 in the form of a steel ball` which inV normal operation presses against an uprightl leg 51 extending from and formed integral with a substantially L-shaped thrust lever or arm 52 as shown more clearly in Figure ll. A substantially L-shaped actuating lever ory arm 53 is secured to the thrust lever- 52 by a fastener or bolt 54 (Figure 7). The actuating lever 53 is provided with an upright end 57 to the upper end of which is secured the front or outlet guide 15. It will be observed in Figure ll that the thrust lever 52 is pro vided with an elongated slot or aperture 57 for manually adjusting the angular relationship of the thrust lever 52 relative to the actuating lever 53. Under most operations, it is preferable to have the thrust lever 52 in longitudinal alinement with the actuating lever 53 as shown in Figure l1.

For xedly securing the thrust and actuating levers 52, 53 to the valve 43, the valve is provided with a threaded reduced portion 43a on its lower end which threadedly receives the thrust and actuating levers 52, 53 respectively. It isy apparent that there is no relative movement between theV valve 43 and the thrust and actuating levers during operation. Any pivotal movement imparted to the actuating lever by the traveling strand is imparted to the valve 43. For maintaining the valve 43 inside the bushing 42, a recessed portion 55 is provided in the lower end of the reduced portion 43a in which is received a pointed supporting pivot pin 56 which is xedly secured to the bottom 19 of the casing 17.

Under normal running conditions, the actuating lever 53 and thrust lever S2 will be in the position shown in Figure 9 and the strand material 11 passing through the tensioning device will have the desired tension applied thereto by the lower tension plate 26 being urged slightly upwardly towards the upper stationary tension plate 25 to apply friction on the material passing therebetween. ln this position, the compressed fluid entering the-body portion 24 will bel directed through the aperture 41 in the bushing' 42 to move the throttling piston 44 upwardly into engagement with the lower tension plate 26. As will be observed in Figure 9, under the optimum running condition, the val-ve 43 will be positioned to partially close the aperture 41 and maintain a lower rate of flow of the' fluid into the contines of the bushingy 42'. Duringthe' optimum running condition compressed uid will also be directed into the passageway 46 to move the thrust piston S) into engagement with the upright lever 51 of the thrust lever 52.

Under all operating conditions, the compressed fluid is always being bled or permitted to escape past the throttling piston 44 to prevent the building up of excessive pressures. During operation, the tensioning device will automatically balance itself by the force of the thrust piston Sti on the thrust lever 52 counterbalancingA the pivoting effect of the strand material 11 on the actuating lever S3. For example, if the tension on the strand material 11 after leaving the tension device is suddenly increased, the strand material passing through the front guide 15 will move the actuating lever S3 towards the take-up roller 16 (Figure l) which movement will pivot the valve' 43 clockwise to reduce thev amount of compressed uid entering the aperture 41 in the bushing 42 (Figure l0). This lowers the pressure of the throttlingf piston 44 on the lower tension plate 26, to thus reduce the tension on the strand material 11 at this point andV thus permit the thrust piston 50 to quickly return the actuating lever 53 from the position shown in Figure l0 to the optimum running position shown in Figure 9.

lf the tension ou the strand material beyond thete'nsioning device suddenly decreases, the tension on the strand material 11 will remain uniform since the actuating lever 53 will be moved counterclockwise or to a position opposite from that shown in Figure l0 and the valve 43 will be pivoted to permit more air to enter aperture 41 to increase the tension on the strand material passing. between the tension plates to thus compensate for the" inv a short interval of time, the yarnr will pull the actuating lowering of the tension beyond the tension device;

lever 53 to the position shown in Figure 9 and the" tension device will again be in balanced positioned wherein the' force of thel thrust piston Sil c'ounterbalances the pivotal thrust of the strand material m theactuating lever'53.

It is apparent that under all running conditions, the

In Figure 13 is schematically illustrated a plurality of" identical yarn tension devices 12 employed in series to' control the tension of yarn Y being taken off cones Cv mounted in a creel (not shown) and collected on a common take-up means such as a warp beam (not shown). The yarn tension can be increased or decreased simultaneously at all of the units by adjusting the pressure regulator 60 to control the pressure in the main line 61 connecting each fluid line 36 to the devices 12. An air compressor 62 provided with a filter 63 supplies the pressure requirements for the system. A pressure gauge 64 is connected to the main line 61 which gauge can be calibrated to'read directly in units of yarn tension such as grams if so desired. Thus, by observing the gauge' electrical conductors, or the like. Also, although air has been disclosed as the preferred fluid for actuating the respective pistons, any type ofv uid may be employed in either liquid or gaseous state.

Accordingly, it will be apparent that there has been provided a novel fluid actuated tensioning device wherein the traveling strand material controls the position of the;`

throttling valvev to vary the tension exerted on thestrand material passing through the device and wherein thestrand material leaving the tensioning `device is maintained under a constant tension by the tensioning device automatically compensating for any increase or decrease in tension on the strand material beyond the tensioning device.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specic terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for pui-poses of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

We claim:

1. In a tension device for a strand material, means for resisting the movement of the strand material through the tension device to cause tension on the strand material, tluid actuated means acting on the resisting means to cause the latter to apply resistance to the strand material, a valve for controlling 4said iluid actuated means, and means operatively connected to said valve and positioned in spaced relation to said resisting means and engageable by the-strand material after it passes said resisting means, said latter means being responsive to the tension in the strand material after passing said resisting means for controlling the valve whereby pressure exerted by the fluid actuated means is varied in accordance with variations in the tension of the strand material leaving the resisting meansto maintain the tension on the strand material substantially constant.

2. A tension device for a moving strand material comprising means for resisting the movement of the strand material through the tension device to cause tension to be applied thereto, fluid actuated means acting on the resisting means to apply resistance to the strand material, valve means for controlling lthe supply of fluid under pressure to the said fluid actuated means, a pivotally mounted actuating lever for guiding the traveling strand material as it leaves the device, said leveibeing operatively secured to said valve for varying the fluid supplied to the said fluid actuated means to maintain the tension in the strand material substantially constant, and a fluid actuated thrust lever connected to said actuating lever for exerting a counterbalancing force on said actuating lever thereby resisting the pivotal movement of the same.

3. In a tension device for a strand material, means for resisting the movement of the strand material through the tension device to cause tension to be applied thereto, uid actuated means acting on the resisting means'to cause the latter to apply resistance to the strand material, a valve for controlling said uid actuated means, and'a pivotable actuating lever operatively connected to' said valve and positioned in spaced relation to the resisting means and dependent on the tension in the strand material after passing the said resisting means for controlling the valve whereby pressure exerted by the uid actuated means is varied in accordance with variations in the tension of the strand material leaving the resisting means to maintain the tension on the strand material substantially constant at all times.

4. A tension device for a moving strand material comprising means for resisting the movement of the strand material through the tension device to cause tension to be applied thereto, uid actuated means acting on the resisting means to apply resistance to the strand material, a valve for controlling the supply of uid under pressure to said fluid actuated means, a pivotally mounted strand guide engaged by the strand material and being operatively connected to said valve for varying the pressure of the fluid supplied to said uid actuated means to maintain the tension in the strand material substantially constant at all times, and said strand guide being positioned in spaced relation in front of said strand resisting means to receive the traveling strand material after the ltension is applied thereto.

5. In a tension device for a strand material, meansy for resisting the movement ofthe strand material through the tension device to cause tension on the strand material, fluid actuated means acting on the resisting means to cause the latter to apply resistance to the strand material, a valve for controlling said uid actuated means,

a pivotable actuating lever adapted to be engaged by the strand material and positioned in spaced relation to the prising means' for resisting the movement of the strand material through the tension device to cause tension to be applied thereto, uid actuated means acting on the resisting means to apply resistance to the strand material, a valve for controlling the supply of iluid under pressure to the said uid actuated means, a pivotally mounted strand guide connected to said valve for varying the fluid supplied to the said fluid actuated means to maintain the tension in the strand material leaving the device` substantially constant, and means for constantly bleeding the uid from the device to prevent the building up of excessive pressure.

7. A tension device for a moving strand material comprising a pair of tension plates for resisting the movement of the strand material through the tension device, said tension plates comprising an upper stationary plate and a. lower pivotally mounted plate adapted to be moved upwardly relative to the upper plate, uid actuated means acting on the lower tension plate to cause the latter to be moved upwardly to apply resistance to the traveling strand, valve means for controlling the amount of fluid to said iluid actuated means, strand guide means positioned adjacent the pair of tension plates lfor guiding the strand material as the same leaves the tension device,

and means operatively connecting said strand guide to said valve whereby the moving strand controls the movement of the valve for varying the fluid supplied to the means engaging the lower tension plate to maintain the strand material leaving the device at a substantially conarm having a front strand guide in the upper portion l thereof, a valve operatively secured to said actuating arm, a passageway directing uid under pressure to said valve, a throttling piston positioned above said valve and adapted to be moved by said fluid into engagement with v.

the ybottom surface of the lower tension plate to cause upward movement of said lower tension plate, an auxiliary passageway communicatively connected to said passageway leading to said valve, a thrust piston positioned in the outer end of said auxiliary passageway, a thrust arm positioned adjacent said thrust piston and operatively secured to said actuating arm, and said thrust piston exerting a predetermined thrust on said thrust arm to counterbalance the force on the actuating arm by the moving strand material under normal running conditions.

9. In a tension device according to claim 8 wherein said throttling piston and thrust piston are in the form of steel balls, and said valve is in the form of a pin vertically positioned immediately below said throttling piston and below said lower tension plate.

assente- 10. In av uidcontrolled tension device for a traveling strand material, the combination of duid actuated meansv for frictionally resisting the passage of the strand material through the device, a pivotal valve for controlling thel amount of frictional-resistance applied to the strand material, a pivotally mounted actuating lever adapted to be engaged by the strand material and positioned in spacedl relation to said duid actuated means and connected to said valve to control the movement of the valve, they tension in the strand material leaving the tension device controlling the position of the actuating lever, a fluid actuated thrust lever operatively connected to said actuating lever for exerting a counterbalancing force on the actuating lever to compensate for the thrust imparted to the actuating lever by the moving strand material under normal running conditions, said valve controlling the counterbalancing forceof the thrust lever, and means for constantly bleeding the duid from the tension device whereby fluid pressure is prevented from building up therein to maintain the pressure in the tension device substantially constant at all times.

1l. ln a fluid controlled tension device for a traveling strand material, the combination of duid actuated means for frictionally resisting the passage of the strand material through the device, valve means for controlling the amount of frictional resistance applied to the strand material, a pivotally mounted actuating lever connected to said-valve, the tension in the strand material leaving the tension device controlling the position of the actuating lever, a thrust lever operatively connected to said actuating lever for exerting a counterbalancing force on the-actuatinglever to compensate for the thrust imparted to the actuating lever by the moving strand material under normal running conditions, said valve controlling the counterbalancing force of the thrust lever and being connected thereto, and means for constantly bleeding the fluid from the tension device whereby fluid pressure is prevented from building up therein to maintain the pres'- sure in the tension device substantially constant at all times.

12. A tension device for a traveling strand material comprising means for frictionally resisting the passage of the strand material through the device, a valve for controlling the amount of rictional resistance applied to the strand material, a pivotally mounted actuating lever adapted to be engaged by the strand material and positioned in spaced relation to said means for frictionally resisting the passage of the strand material and being connected to said valve, the tension in the strand material leaving the tension device controlling the position of the actuating lever, and means for exerting a counterbalancing force on the actuating lever to compensate for the pivotable movement imparted to the lever by the moving strand material under normal running conditions.

13. In a tension device for a traveling strand material wherein the strand leaves the device at an angle, the combination of a body portion, a pair of superposed tension plates mounted on said body portion for applying tension to the strand material, the upper tension plate being stationarily positioned, the lower tension plate being pivotally mounted and adapted to be moved toward the upper plate, a valve positioned below said tension plates,

Cil

acylinder above saidA valve,y a-'pist'onpositioned' ini saidv4 cylinder, a' passageway communicatively connected to" said valve and cylinder to permit the entering. of ud under pressure to move the piston-into frictional contact with the lower tension plate, a lever positioned in frontof said tension plates for guiding the strand leaving they device, and said lever being connected to said valve for r` controlling the frictional resistance'imparted to the strand by said tension plates.

14. Ina tension device according to claim 13v whereinmeans are connected to said lever for counterbalancingii the thrust imparted to the lever by the traveling strand,

and means are provided for bleeding the fluid from the a piston positioned in said-cylinder, a rst passageway` communicatively connected to said valve andfcylinder-l to permit the entering of duid under pressure to move` the' piston into frictional contact with the lower tensionvl plate, a pivotally mounted actuating lever positioned in the path of travel of the strand material immediately following its passagey between the tension plates, saidlever'being connected to said valve for controlling the frictionalresistance imparted to the traveling strandl irla-` terial, a thrust lever connected to said actuating lever,l a` second passageway communicatively connected to' said rst passageway,` and a fluid actuated piston` positioned inthe outer end of'l saidsecond passageway and adaptedto engage the thrust lever whereby the thrustv lever coun-- terbalances any movement imparted to the actuating lever by the strand material. v

16. In a device according to claim l5 wherein. said pistons are in the form-of spherical balls, and saidv'alve in the form of a pin,

17. A tension device for a moving strand material comprising a pair of tension plates for resisting the movement of the strand material through the tension de vice, said tension plates comprising an upper plate andl a lower shiftably movable plate adapted to be moved upwardly relative to the upper plate, fluid actuated means actin-g on the lower tension plate to cause the latter to be moved upwardly to apply resistance to the traveling strand, valve means for controlling the amount of uidy References Cited in the tile of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS Campbell Sept. 16, 1952 Grein Aug. 25, 1953 

